Scottish Executive

Asylum Seekers

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what involvement the Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care has had, and continues to have, with Dungavel House immigration removal centre.

Mr Tom McCabe: The pre-school facility at Dungavel has been registered by the Care Commission under the Regulation of Care (Scotland) Act 2001. Working with the Home Office and Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Education, the Care Commission will regulate the service, taking into account the National Care Standards for Early Education and Childcare services published by Scottish ministers.

Crime

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to reduce the fear of crime among older people.

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what methods are used to measure the fear of crime among older people.

Hugh Henry: I refer the member to the answers given to question S1O-5837 on 7 November 2002 and question S1W-31575 on 9 December 2002. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website. The search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Defence

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to the Ministry of Defence to ensure the continued existence of all six Scottish regiments in view of the social and economic implications of the disbandment of any of these regiments.

Mr Jim Wallace: I refer the member to the answer given to S2W-1830 on 27 August 2003. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Forestry

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will announce the location for the headquarters of Forest Enterprise Scotland.

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the headquarters of Forest Enterprise Scotland will be located in Inverness.

Allan Wilson: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-2059 on 19 August 2003, announcing details of the outcome of the review for the location of the headquarters of Forest Enterprise Scotland. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Forestry

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received any representations from Highland Council requesting that the headquarters of Forest Enterprise Scotland be located in Inverness; what procedures it will employ when arriving at a decision on this matter, and what the timetable is for such procedures.

Allan Wilson: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-2059 on 19 August 2003, announcing details of the outcome of the review for the location of the headquarters of Forest Enterprise Scotland. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

  Representations were made by Highland Council during the time of the review.

Housing

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received any communications from any organisation regarding the effect the withdrawal of section 54 of the Housing Act 1988 may have on non-fully-mutual housing co-operatives and, if so, from which organisations such communications have been received.

Ms Margaret Curran: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Acting Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. Her response is as follows:

  There has been communication from the Scottish Community Ownership Forum which voiced its concern over the withdrawal of section 54 tax relief grants and the effect on housing co-operatives.

Housing

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many registered non-fully-mutual housing co-operatives there are.

Ms Margaret Curran: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Acting Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. Her response is as follows:

  There are 15 non-fully-mutual housing co-operatives registered with Communities Scotland.

Housing

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many non-fully-mutual housing co-operatives have applied to alter their status to become a housing association or a fully-mutual housing co-operative since 1 May 1999 and, of these, how many have made such a change, giving dates of application and change of status in each case.

Ms Margaret Curran: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Acting Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. Her response is as follows:

  Two non-fully-mutual housing co-operatives have altered their status to become housing associations – one in March 2000 and another in April 2003. A further housing co-operative in Glasgow is proposing to become a housing association and has applied to do so in August 2003.

  In addition, two non-fully-mutual co-operatives changed their status by deciding to merge with other housing associations through transfers of engagements in October and December 1999.

Housing

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many housing associations and co-operatives received grants under section 54 of the Housing Act 1988 in (a) 2000-01 and (b) 2001-02 and what the total cash value of such grants was in each year.

Ms Margaret Curran: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Acting Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. Her response is as follows:

  In 2000-01 105 housing associations and co-operatives received section 54 tax relief grants at a cost of £5.0 million.

  In 2001-02 49 housing associations and co-operatives received section 54 tax relief grants at a cost of £3.3 million.

Land Reform Act (Scotland) 2003

Alex Johnstone (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how much each local authority will spend on local access forums under the Land Reform Act (Scotland) 2003 in 2003-04.

Alex Johnstone (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide local authorities with additional funding to support local access forums.

Allan Wilson: Each local authority will have discretion as to the number and size of local access forums which it decides to establish. It is not possible, therefore, to estimate at this stage the spend by each local authority on access forums. However, these costs will relate only to the servicing of each forum and the payment of allowances and expenses to members.

  The following table gives the total historical and planned provision made available to local authorities to assist with preparing for their new functions under Part 1 of the Land Reform (Scotland) Act. These include the establishment and operation of local access forums.

  

 2001-02
 2002-03
 2003-04
 2004-05
 2005-06


 (£ Million)


 2.5
 4.7
 6.5
 7.4
 8.1

Learning Disabilities

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what support it provides for adults with learning disabilities who wish to remain in their own home.

Mr Tom McCabe: Community Care policy generally is that, where possible, people should be supported to live in their own homes. Practical support for individuals to remain at home is provided through care services, notably health and community care.

Learning Disabilities

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what support local authorities are statutorily required to provide for adults with learning disabilities who wish to remain in their own home.

Mr Tom McCabe: Local authorities have a duty under the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968 to assess the needs of, and provide appropriate services to, people who appear to need them.

Learning Disabilities

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what support it expects local authorities to provide for adults with learning difficulties who wish to remain in their own home.

Mr Tom McCabe: We expect local authorities to secure a range of services appropriate to an individual’s needs across the range of community care client groups, including learning disabilities

Learning Disabilities

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will alter the support provision for adults with learning difficulties who wish to remain in their own home.

Mr Tom McCabe: No – the recommendations set out in the The same as you? review of services for people with learning disabilities continue to guide the Executive’s policy that people with learning disabilities should be cared for at home, with an appropriate range of services to meet their health and social care needs.

Learning Disabilities

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to ensure continuing support for people with learning disabilities whose carers are (a) 65 or over and (b) 70 or over.

Mr Tom McCabe: The same as you? recommended that life plans for people with learning disabilities who live with their parents should include plans for a time when parents may no longer be able to provide care. Scottish Executive guidance on Partnership in Practice Agreements (PiPs), issued on 26 March 2001, stated that PiPs should address all recommendations that apply to statutory authorities, and that they should specifically address ageing, and support for families and carers. Guidance Circular CCD 3/2001 Implementing The same as you?: Partnership in Practice Agreements (PiPs) and Change Funds is available in the Parliament’s reference Centre (Bib. number 12320).

Learning Disabilities

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to alter the balance in spending on learning disability services and, in particular, whether it will move the emphasis of such spending away from hospitals.

Mr Tom McCabe: It has long been the Scottish Executive’s policy to move the emphasis of spending on learning disability services away from hospital provision. The learning disability change funds we provided from 2001-02 are a lever for moving the balance towards services in the community. There has also been a significant shift in spending away from hospital provision towards supporting people with learning disabilities to live in the community.

Learning Disabilities

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it has made towards the foundation of a Scottish centre for learning disability, as referred to in The same as you? A review of services for people with learning disabilities .

Mr Tom McCabe: The Scottish Consortium for Learning Disability was established during 2001 with funding from the Scottish Executive, and officially launched by Malcolm Chisholm, then Deputy Minister for Health and Community Care, on 5 October 2001.

Learning Disabilities

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it has made towards elimination of long-stay hospital places, as referred to in The same as you? A review of services for people with learning disabilities .

Mr Tom McCabe: The number of individuals with learning disabilities in long-stay hospitals has been coming down for some time, and at October 2002 was around 900. Lennox Castle near Glasgow closed in May 2002, Birkwood Hospital in Lanarkshire in September 2002, and the Royal Scottish National Hospital at Larbert closed in early 2003.

  Many people with learning disabilities who formerly lived in a hospital are now living in the community, with packages of care and support tailored to meet their individual needs.

  A Short Life Working Group of the national The same as you? Implementation Group is preparing a report on hospital closures which is due soon. Its recommendations will be intended to help ensure the 2005 target is met.

Learning Disabilities

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it has made towards providing less formal day care, as referred to in The same as you? A review of services for people with learning disabilities .

Mr Tom McCabe: Provision of day care is a matter for local authorities, who provide such services.

  Many local authorities are in the process of reconfiguring their day services, in accordance with the recommendations of The same as you? Information for each area can be obtained from individual local authorities.

Learning Disabilities

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it has made towards providing more day opportunities in education, leisure and employment, as referred to in The same as you? A review of services for people with learning disabilities .

Mr Tom McCabe: Provision of day opportunities is a matter for local authorities, who provide such services.

  Many local authorities are in the process of reconfiguring their day services, in accordance with the recommendations of The same as you? Information for each area can be obtained from individual local authorities.

Learning Disabilities

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it has made towards ensuring that more children are educated in mainstream schools, as referred to in The same as you? A review of services for people with learning disabilities .

Mr Tom McCabe: We have legislated for the inclusion of all children in mainstream schools, subject to certain prescribed circumstances. The Executive will monitor the impact of the new legislation which took effect from 1 August 2003.

Learning Disabilities

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it has made towards ensuring the provision of mainstream health services, as referred to in The same as you? A review of services for people with learning disabilities .

Mr Tom McCabe: The Scottish Executive is planning to spend over £7.3 billion this year on providing health services for everyone in Scotland, including people with learning disabilities.

  We published Promoting Health, Supporting Inclusion in July 2002, about the contribution that nurses and midwives can make to the care and support of people with learning disabilities. It aims to ensure that all nurses and midwives recognise the particular needs of people with learning disabilities, and work towards promoting and improving their health.

  We have asked NHS Health Scotland to undertake a Needs Assessment of the health needs of children and adults with learning disabilities in Scotland, to inform the development and commissioning of services for the future. This is expected in the autumn.

Learning Disabilities

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it has made towards ensuring the provision of mainstream social care services, as referred to in The same as you? A review of services for people with learning disabilities .

Mr Tom McCabe: The Scottish Executive is providing £1.3 billion this year to help local authorities deliver social care services, including learning disabilities.

Learning Disabilities

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it has made towards ensuring the provision of mainstream education services, as referred to in The same as you? A review of services for people with learning disabilities .

Mr Tom McCabe: As we note in our Lifelong Learning Strategy Life through Learning; Learning through Life , which was published in February of this year, uneven access to lifelong learning has the capacity to entrench inequalities. Our goal is to create a Scotland where people have the chance to learn, irrespective of their background or current personal circumstances and we are clear that the mainstreaming of equality into policy and legislation development is a key driver in realising this aim.

  The Scottish Executive is committed to inclusive policies that allow all students to participate fully in further education and achieve their potential. Substantial funds have been allocated towards this and compliance with the Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001. People with a disability affecting learning form one of the priority groups for action on the promotion of adult literacy and numeracy.

  £4.5 million has been allocated from Beattie funding to improve support for students in further education and develop inclusiveness. The BRITE Centre initiative at Stevenson College has been established to equip staff with the skills to assess and support students with additional needs. Over 80 staff from every college are participating in the initiative.

Learning Disabilities

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it has made towards ensuring the provision of mainstream employment services, as referred to in The same as you? A review of services for people with learning disabilities .

Mr Tom McCabe: Employment has been one of the initial priorities for the national The same as you? Implementation Group. It established a sub-group to look at employment, and its report is expected in due course .

Learning Disabilities

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken to measure progress for people with learning disabilities.

Mr Tom McCabe: Officials at the Scottish Executive have just instituted a new statistical return to measure progress against various recommendations set out in The same as you? A review of services for people with learning disabilities . This asks about the number of people with learning disabilities by local authority area; how many have their own tenancies, and how many have access to Local Area Co-ordinators, independent advocacy, Personal Life Plans, employment opportunities, further education, employment training, community short breaks, and alternatives to traditional day services.

  This will provide information on these areas for the first time in Scotland.

Learning Disabilities

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has commissioned a quality of life survey for people with learning disabilities.

Mr Tom McCabe: No, but the information obtained from the new statistical return about learning disabilities referred to in the answer given to question S2W-1890, today will, over time, enable trends to be established on a number of aspects that relate closely to the quality of life of people with learning disabilities.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliaments website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Learning Disabilities

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what research it is undertaking into the needs of people with learning disabilities.

Mr Tom McCabe: We announced on 26 September 2002 that we have commissioned research into the needs of people with learning disabilities who are in prison or secure accommodation. This will find out what type of services they receive, and identify any gaps in provision across health, education and welfare services. It will also find out more about local good practice, so we can improve the way needs are assessed and met for people with learning disabilities in prisons or secure accommodation throughout Scotland.

  The research is being done by the Scottish Development Centre for Mental Health. Work should be completed at the end of October 2003.

  The Chief Scientist Office within the Scottish Executive Health Department, is currently funding seven research projects into the needs of people with learning disabilities at a cost of £749,897. Details of these projects are available from the National Research Register (NRR), a copy of which is in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 17404).

  We plan to commission research on employment for people with learning disabilities later in the current financial year. The Chief Scientist Office will be willing to consider further quality research applications into the needs of people with learning disabilities, which would be subject to the usual peer and committee review.

Learning Disabilities

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to ensure that best practice in dealing with people with learning disabilities is shared amongst local authorities.

Mr Tom McCabe: We are keen to ensure dissemination of best practice. The principles of The same as you? A review of services for people with learning disabilities , published by the Scottish Executive, give a lead on good practice, and that document has a number of examples of good practice.

  We have provided funding for the establishment of the Scottish Consortium for Learning Disability. Part of the consortium’s remit is to:

  foster and develop best practice, and make it accessible. This is available from the consortium’s homepage (Good Practice in The same as you? ) on its website at www.scld.org.uk This brings together information on best practice from across Scotland for everyone, including local authorities.

  develop a skilled and confident workforce by improving training standards and providing training. Local authority staff attend such training. All the consortium’s courses have people with learning disabilities and family carers as co-trainers.

  We have established the Partnership in Practice Network, comprising representatives from local authorities and the NHS across Scotland. This meets on a regular three-monthly basis to discuss current issues and to share experience, and it provides a forum for exchanging and developing good practice.

  We have established the Scottish Social Services Council, whose function includes to raise the standard of practice and to promote the education and training of the social care workforce, including those working in local authorities.

  We ran three major conferences on learning disabilities in 2002, looking at best practice and experience in learning disability databases, autistic spectrum disorders and hospital closures. These had significant attendance form local authorities across Scotland.

Local Government

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the three renewing local democracy working groups, referred to in its new release SEFD247/2003 on 10 July 2003, have been established; who the members are of each group; what the timescale is for the operation of each group, and what the budget is for their running costs.

Tavish Scott: Arrangements are being made for the groups to have their first meetings. It is envisaged that they will operate initially for 12 months, reporting to ministers thereafter. Each group will have an initial budget of around £3,000 to cover travel and subsistence costs.

  The core membership of each group is as follows:

  Single Transferable Vote Working Group

  David Green, Chairman of the Crofters Commission and former Convener of Highland Council

  Jeff Hawkins, Society of Local Authority Lawyers and Administrators

  Councillor Jim McCabe, Convention of Scottish Local Authorities

  Dr Vicki Nash, Society of Local Authority Chief Executives

  Billy Pollock, Association of Electoral Administrators

  Dr Ken Ritchie, Electoral Reform Society

  Bob Smith, Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland

  Councillors’ Remuneration Progress Group

  Lord Sewel, Senior Vice-Principal, University of Aberdeen (Chairman)

  Tom Aitchison, Society of Local Authority Chief Executives

  Councillor Sam Campbell, National Association of Councillors

  Ralph Garden, Scottish Public Pensions Agency

  Professor Michael Horsman, former Director, Office of Manpower Economics

  Graeme Millar, Scottish Consumer Council

  Councillor Pat Watters, Convention of Scottish Local Authorities

  Widening Access to Council Membership Progress Group

  Rowena Arshad, Director of the Centre for Education for Racial Equality in Scotland, University of Edinburgh (Chairman)

  Claire Judson, National Union of Students

  Susan Love, Federation of Small Businesses

  Councillor Corrie McChord, Convention of Scottish Local Authorities

  Fiona Smith, Scottish Youth Parliament

  John Wilkes, Equalities Co-ordinating Group

  A former councillor (name to be advised).

Local Government Elections

Mr Bruce McFee (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when the evaluation process into the local government elections held on 1 May 2003 will be completed and published.

Tavish Scott: The Scottish Executive has asked the Electoral Commission to undertake an evaluation of the local government elections held on 1 May 2003. The commission expects to publish its report when it publishes its statutory report on the elections to the Scottish Parliament in November 2003.

Local Government Elections

Mr Bruce McFee (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether electoral law was fully complied with in the local authority elections, and Scottish parliamentary elections in respect of matters within its responsibility held on 1 May 2003; whether any reports of malpractice and maladministration have been received concerning the elections and, what sanctions, or reprimands, it would impose on a returning officer if a returning officer had been negligent in carrying out his or her statutory duties.

Tavish Scott: Compliance with law is a matter for the courts. Scottish parliamentary elections are a matter for the Secretary of State for Scotland. The Scottish Executive has not received reports of malpractice and maladministration in respect of the local government elections held on 1 May 2003. Returning officers are statutory officers appointed by local authorities and the Scottish ministers have no powers to reprimand returning officers or place sanctions upon them.

Local Government Elections

Mr Bruce McFee (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what payments have been, or will be, made by (a) it and (b) local authorities to returning officers for executing their statutory duties at the local authority and Scottish parliamentary elections held on 1 May 2003.

Tavish Scott: The funding of Scottish parliamentary elections is the responsibility of the Secretary of State for Scotland. The funding of local government elections is a matter for the relevant local authority and there is no specific allocation made for the running of elections. The Scottish Executive does not make payments to returning officers in respect of their duties in relation to local government elections.

Local Government Elections

Mr Bruce McFee (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish the costs, broken down by category, incurred by each returning officer for executing their statutory duties during the local authority and Scottish parliamentary elections on 1 May 2003.

Tavish Scott: This information is not held centrally.

Local Government Finance

David McLetchie (Edinburgh Pentlands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what it estimates the cost will be to local authorities of implementing the recommendations in Local Authorities Euro Preparations Guidance , issued by HM Treasury in June 2003.

Mr Andy Kerr: Local authorities would have a critical role to play during any changeover to the euro. The guidance issued by HM Treasury and Office of the Deputy Prime Minister suggests a number of high-level business, technical and communications issues that local authorities should consider to assist in their euro preparations. The nature of this work is similar to that which other public sector bodies have undertaken which has not required incremental additional expenditure.

  Following the chancellor’s statement on 9 June 2003, a Scottish Euro Preparations Committee has been established. The role of the committee will be to provide leadership on euro preparations in Scotland. COSLA will represent local authorities on this committee.

People with Disabilities

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has a policy on the provision of respite care for non-elderly disabled people.

Mr Tom McCabe: The provision of services tailored to meet individual need and in an appropriate setting is a cornerstone of community care policy. Local authorities have a duty under the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968 to assess the needs of, and provide appropriate services to, people who appear to need them. This would qualify non-elderly disabled people for respite care where the local authority assessed this as necessary.

  In 1999 the Scottish Executive doubled the funds available to local authorities for respite care and the support of carers from £5 million per year to £10 million through the Strategy for Carers. The Executive has made available additional resources, rising to £11 million per year, in response to the Royal Commission Report on Long Term Care. It is up to local authorities to decide how these resources should best be deployed to meet local needs and priorities.

Prison Service

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-33964 by Mr Jim Wallace on 24 February 2003, whether the maximum limit of 5% of contract price for performance revenue deduction, as referred to in the second paragraph of Schedule F to the Minute of Agreement between the Secretary of State for Scotland and Kilmarnock Prison Services Limited for the Design, Construction, Management and Financing of a Prison at Kilmarnock , has been applied in the first two quarters of 2003.

Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  

 Year
 Quarter
 Maximum Limit 
  Applied
(as at 21/08/03)


 4
 4
 Yes


 5
 1
 No

Prison Service

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many male prisoners have been sexually assaulted in each prison in each of the last five years.

Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:

  The information is not available in the form requested. The information available on assaults is published in SPS Annual Reports, copies of which are available in the Parliament's Reference Centre.

Prison Service

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any funds from the Scottish Prison Service’s (SPS) budget are being used to support the operation of Dungavel House immigration removal centre and, if so, how much is being used, expressed as a percentage of the total SPS budget and in actual cash terms.

Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:

  No funding from SPS budget is being used.

Prison Service

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many female prisoners have been sexually assaulted in each of the last five years, broken down by prison.

Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:

  The information is not available in the form requested. The information available on assaults is published in SPS Annual Reports, copies of which are available in the Parliament's Reference Centre.

Public Sector Staff

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have worked in the public sector in each of the last six years, broken down by NHS, local authority, non-departmental public body, central government and any other sector.

Mr Jim Wallace: The following table shows the number of the number of people who worked in the public sector broken down by type of organisation in Scotland:

  

 
 Nationalised 
  Industry etc.
 Central Govt, 
  Civil Service, Armed Forces
 Local Gov. or 
  Council (inc. Police etc.)
 University, 
  etc.
 Health Authority 
  or NHS Trust
 Other Kind of 
  Organisation
 All


 (000)


 1997
 13
 89
 322
 46
 145
 26
 641


 1998
 13
 91
 318
 45
 143
 20
 631


 1999
 17
 82
 322
 45
 145
 18
 629


 2000
 16
 82
 345
 43
 155
 21
 663


 2001
 19
 86
 323
 48
 149
 20
 646


 2002
 13
 90
 332
 50
 154
 17
 658



  2002 is the most recent year for which data is available.

Renewable Energy

Mr Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to ensure that wind farms are not excluded from Ministry of Defence tactical training areas.

Lewis Macdonald: The safeguarding of Tactical Training Areas (TTAs) is a matter for the Ministry of Defence and is therefore a reserved matter.

  I can, however, confirm that wind farms are not excluded from Ministry of Defence TTAs. The policy of the MOD is that each proposal to construct a wind farm in the UK (including within a TTA) is considered on its own merits and the Planning Authority is advised accordingly.

Social Inclusion

Mrs Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how it is mainstreaming lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality issues into its activities and those of its agencies and how the effectiveness of such mainstreaming is measured and monitored.

Ms Margaret Curran: The Executive is committed to working with lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) communities in Scotland in order to ensure that our work is informed of the issues of concern to these communities. Some examples of mainstreaming for LGBT communities include:

  The Your Scotland project run by Equality Network and funded by the Scottish Executive. This project is developing structures to widen and improve consultation with LGBT people across Scotland, undertaking consultation with the LGBT communities, and strengthening the LGBT communities' input to policy-making.

  A complementary project, Have Your Say, is being taken forward through LGBT Youth Scotland to engage with LGBT young people.

  To inform the consultation process, the Scottish Executive has funded Beyond Barriers to produce a database and directory of grassroots LGBT organisations across Scotland, and other organisations with an interest in LGBT equality.

  In addition, a major research project examining the availability of data on LGBT communities and the need for further data and information is helping us to identify research priorities and informing our approach to LGBT equality work.

Social Justice

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-30119 by Ms Margaret Curran on 11 December 2002, whether it has a working definition of a deprived area.

Ms Margaret Curran: I refer the member to the answers given to questions S1W-30119 and S1W-29338 on 30 September 2002. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

  Information on the indicators for target 3 of the social justice section of the Executive’s 2003-06 spending proposals will be collected for deprived areas as defined by the 2004 Index of Deprivation. This will be published in May 2004.

Teachers

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to review the financial support for teachers seeking to gain chartered status.

Peter Peacock: There is no plan to review financial support for teachers undertaking the Chartered Teacher Programme. The cost of undertaking the programme, if successfully completed, brings significant financial reward.

Transport

Susan Deacon (Edinburgh East and Musselburgh) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-868 by Nicol Stephen on 14 July 2003, what consultation procedure it will use for its proposals for a strategic transport authority and which organisations and individuals will be consulted

Nicol Stephen: We expect to publish a consultation document in due course – issued to a wide range of interested parties, including COSLA, local authorities, transport partnerships, Strathclyde Passenger Transport, operators, user groups and others who have expressed an interest in the development of Scottish transport. Any organisation or individual is welcome to contribute to the consultation.

Young Offenders

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive where the Care Commission report on Glenview Young People’s Unit, Galashiels, dated 29 May 2003, can be accessed.

Mr Tom McCabe: The report can be accessed by contacting the provider direct or from the Care Commission South East Regional Office, Stuart House, Eskmills, Musselburgh, EH21 7PB. Telephone number 0131 653 4100.

Youth Crime

Cathy Peattie (Falkirk East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how awards to local authorities under its £1 million youth crime prevention initiative announced on 25 June 2003 were calculated.

Hugh Henry: As this was additional money for the Community Safety Partnerships the previously agreed formula for the Community Safety Partnership Award Programme was applied which is based on population and crimes per head of population figures. The population figures were taken from the 2001 census and the crimes per head of population from the 2002 recorded crime figures.

Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body

Parliamentary Expenditure

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Presiding Officer how much the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (SPCB) has spent on Microsoft software licences for the Parliament’s IT systems.

John Scott (on behalf of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body): The SPCB has spent approximately £449,000 on current Microsoft Software Licences. This includes licences for desktop software such as Microsoft Office and XP, as well as server operating systems, databases and email systems.